Penman s rest



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. ALLARD, OF QUINCY, ILLINOIS.

PEN MANS REST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 502,218, dated July 25,1893.

Application filed December 17, 1892. Serial No. 455,457. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. ALLARD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Quincy, in the county of Adams and State of Illinois, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Penmens Rests, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to a class of devices usually known ashand-supports for use in learning and practicing penmanship.

It is the purpose of my said invention to provide a simple andinexpensive device, of extremely light weight, but possessing strength,durability and adjustability and capable of being attached and removedinstantaneously and without appreciable effort, and of being retained inplace, when the pen is temporarily laid aside, without materiallyinterfering with ordinary manual functions.

It is a further purpose of my invention to provide a penmanshand-support, or restring, and finger-guard, both combined in a singledevice, the parts of which are formed from one and the same piece ofmetal.

It is my purpose finally, to provide a handsupport or ring-rest, havingsubstantially circular form, its exterior being grooved, or concavedcircumferentially, to receive and retain one of the fingers of the handby which the pen is held, and to maintain the same in a properlydistended position to support the pen-holder at such an angle to theface of the paper as to insure ease and rapidity in continuous,prolonged and rapid writing; the circular support being provided with anintegral loop, or clasp, to receive the finger-end and cover thephalangeal joint, which would, otherwise, rest and slide upon the paper,the circular support being capable of a limited elastic compression,under pressure.

My invent-ion consists, to these ends, in the novel construction and inthe new arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter fully set forthand then particularly pointed out and defined in the claims which followthis specification.

To enable others skilled in the art to make, construct and use my saidinvention, I will now proceed to describe the same in detail, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1, is a view inperspective, showing a device constructed in accordance with myinvention. Fig. 2, is a view of the same in a different position, toshow more fully the con- 5 5 struction and relative position of theparts. Fig. 3, is a view showing the manner of using the invention.

In the said drawings the reference numeral 1 indicates the circular, orsubstantially cir- 6o cular bod y-portion of the hand-support, which ispreferably formed of a light plate, or strip of metal, of such widththat, when provided with a shallow, concave, exterior face, the fourth,or, if preferred, the third finger of the hand may rest easily therein.The diameter of this portion is such that, when clasped by the finger,the latter will be maintained in an extended, partially flexed position,separated from the ball of the hand by such an inter 7o val that thewriter will naturally hold the latter upright, with the pen-holderpointing over the right shoulder or nearly so.

I prefer to construct the body-portion l of metal having a suitabledegree of elasticity, and to provide for a limited elastic or flexiblecompression, or yield, thereof, by forming a transverse out 2, at asuitable point, whereby the ends thus formed may over-lap, or pass eachother, slightly, under the compression of the finger and hand, therebyrendering the device adjustable in size, or diameter, to accommodatehands of different size.

Upon one of the ends formed by the transverse division of the circularbody-portion, I form a laterally extending piece, which is curved, orpartly arched, over the said end of the circular portion 1, its free endbeing preferably rounded upon the edge and the lateral extension beingso curved that said free 0 end over-hangs the edge opposite to that fromwhich it springs. The inner face of this part is concaved, and the saidpart forms a clasp or loop 3, which will readily receive and retain thefinger, which is usually inserted as far as the first joint, though itmay, in exceptional cases, be caused to embrace and cover the secondjoint. In either position, it possesses sufficient elasticity tomoderately compress the finger and thus be retainedin place. When thefinger is flexed far enough to bring the circular support 1 closelyagainst the ball of the hand, the exterior, convex surface of the clasp,or loop 3, which covers the joint,

will rest naturally and easily upon the paper,

and as it is capable of a high degree of polish,

which is maintained and constantly increased by use, the slidingmovementof the hand will 5 be very materially facilitated.

My invention provides a simple, cheap and convenient support for thehand, by which the natural and easy position thereof is maintainedwithout fatigue, and by the use of a IO single finger, only. Moreover,the device is of such light weight thatthe writer who uses it is hardlyconscious of its presence. Its manual engagement is maintained in allpositions of the hand and fingers, with the use [5 of which it does notsensibly interfere, when the pen is temporarily laid aside, only asingle finger being engaged by said device, under any circumstances.

The clasp, or loop 3, not only forms an effi 2o cient means ofattachment, but it covers the joint of the finger, which would,otherwise, rest upon the paper, thereby protecting the said joint,avoiding the fatigue which is almost always felt after more or less ofthe weight of the hand has been long sustained by the fourth fingerjoint, or, by the ends of the third and fourth fingers. The sliding movement of the hand, which is usually made with one, or more, of the partsreferred to as a rest,

0 is performed by the aid of my invention with great ease, and celerity,and with increased certainty and accuracy, since the point of slidingcontact is of such form and so highly polished by use, that variationsin the press 5 ure exerted upon the surface of the paper will not somaterially vary the ease of movement as when said movement is made bymanual contact, only.

By constructing the device in a single, or

0 integral piece, the expense of manufacture is reduced, and thedurability of the parts is increased, as there are no joints to workloose and become separated, nor is it necessary to solder, rivet, orotherwise attach the clasp, or

loop.

A very material advantage secured by my invention as compared with thespherical and other devices, heretofore in use, resides in theconstruction by which the rest-ring may be clasped by the little finger,only, of the hand holding the pen, thereby enabling the remainingfingers of said hand to be used, without meeting with the slightestinterference. For example, in making loop-letters, a free and easymovement of the fingers holding the pen is essential and this movementis unavoidably obstructed and impaired when any object is held whichrequires the use of more than the little finger for its retention.

What I claim is- 1. A hand-support, or rest-ring for the use of a penmanconsisting of a substantially circular body-portion formed of a sheet,or strip, of metal, having a concave exterior face and provided with alateral extension which is curved over and across the body-portion toform a clasp, or loop, for the finger, substantially as described.

2. Apenmans rest-ring, consisting of a substantially circularbody-portion having a circu mferentially concave outer face and dividedby a transverse cut, one of the ends being provided with a lateralextension which is curved over and across the same to form a clasp, orloop, for the finger, one end thereof being free or unattached,substantially as described.

3. Apenmans rest ring, consisting of a substantially circular strip ofmetal one end thereof being provided with an integral lateral extensionbent to over-hang the end from which it springs to form a loop, orclasp, for the finger, substantially as described.

4. A penmans rest ring, consisting of a substantially circular plate, orstrip of metal of suitable elasticity, the ends thereof being capable ofpassing each other under compres sion, the exterior face being concaveand one end of said circular plate being provided with a lateral,integral, extension, bent to overhang the said end and provided with aconcave and convex inner and outer surface, respectively, to form anelastic clasp for the finger, to cover and protect the joint thereof andto form, by its outer, or convex face, a sliding support for the sameupon the paper, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

CHARLES H. ALLARD.

Witnesses:

CHAS. F. OLAPP, W. E. WHITE.

